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Nissan launches car via mobile app

By Chris Lee

Nissan’s new Juke Nismo – derived from NISsan MOtorsport – has been launched via the popular mobile driving game Asphalt 7: Heat ahead of going on sale in the real world. Audiences can now take virtual test drives of the vehicle, along with the exclusive Nissan Juke-R and Nissan Race Track.

NMK spoke with Nissan Europe’s Gareth Dunsmore to learn more about the project.

Briefly explain the Juke Nismo project for us

We recently launched the Nissan Juke Nismo within a mobile/tablet app before its launch in the real world, giving users the opportunity to test drive the car in mobile driving game Asphalt 7: Heat before the car hit showrooms across Europe.

The Juke Nismo is a motorsport derived car with features inspired by the gaming world, so we wanted to launch it in an entertaining, exciting and engaging way that offers the consumer an experience that matches its values. In this case we felt an app was better than more traditional marketing strategies as it excites consumers in both the experience and the purchase of the product.

UK consumers are very tech savvy and an increasing number are no longer engaging with traditional marketing methods like TV ads, so by giving value to the experience we hope to capture their imagination.

How did you evaluate that your target audience played Asphalt 7: Heat? What is the user base and demographic, and so forth?

As the first in a new motorsport derived Nismo product range for Europe, this is a car that should appeal to gamers and social media users. Nismo awareness in Europe comes largely through the gaming community – it has featured in Sony’s Gran Turismo series for many years. With Juke Nismo we’re challenging the expected norms of performance car brands and providing an innovative and exciting driving experience that’s also very accessible to all.

Gamers today are not just young guys who are really into computers – they are a mass audience of people who are playing on mobiles, tablets or online. We are trying to communicate with people we call “tech seekers” – not necessarily “geeks” or fast adopters but people who use technology to get more value from their life. That can come through enjoying a game.

What metrics are you using to evaluate whether the project was a success or not?

The campaign has undoubtedly been a success – since the car was launched in December we have had more than two million downloads of the app.

In fact, the Gameloft launch has been so successful that we’re certain it won’t be a one-off. We are in talks with Gameloft about future plans and we intend to work with them on other innovative projects.